JP7422307B2 - washing machine - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a washing machine having a lid body that covers an upwardly-opening clothing input port so as to be openable and closable.

The washing machine in Patent Document 1 includes a washing tub that opens upward, a casing that accommodates the washing tub, and an operation panel that receives an operation request regarding the operation content of the washing machine. The housing includes a front wall facing the user and a top wall formed with an input port for allowing clothes to be loaded into the washing tub. The top wall includes a leading edge forming a corner with the front wall, and a trailing edge opposite the leading edge. The operation panel is attached to the rear edge by a lid hinge section that is divided into left and right parts.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-192774

However, in the conventional configuration, since the lid hinge portion is divided into left and right parts, there is a problem in that stress is concentrated on each hinge portion. Furthermore, if the elastic force of the spring structure used for opening and closing the lid is increased in order to improve the opening/closing force of the lid, there is a risk that the lid hinge cannot withstand the elastic force of the spring and breaks down. Further, since the lid hinge portion is divided into left and right parts, the size of the damper mechanism is also limited, resulting in a structure that is difficult to install.

The present disclosure provides a washing machine that can support a heavy lid and facilitate opening and closing operations.

The washing machine according to the present disclosure includes: a top wall having an input port that opens upward; a cover member that partially covers a rear upper part of the top wall; an operation unit that receives an operation request regarding the operation content of the washing machine; The device includes a lid body that covers the input port so as to be openable and closable, and a hinge structure that rotatably supports the lid body on the ceiling wall. The operation unit is attached to the cover member so as to be exposed on the front or upper surface of the cover member, and the lid body includes a main plate that covers the input port, and a cover that is provided on a side of the main plate and that covers the main plate. a left side plate and a right side plate that protrude rearward from the lid, the operating portion is located between the left side plate and the right side plate when the lid is closed, and the hinge structure is configured to Provided across the rear width of the body, disposed below the operating section , and attached to a left hinge disposed inside the left side plate and a right hinge disposed inside the right side plate. form a U-shape .

The washing machine according to the present disclosure provides a washing machine that can support a heavy lid and can easily open and close.

External view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention External view of the washing machine with the lid closed Vertical cross-sectional view of the washing machine Exploded perspective view of the lid structure of the washing machine A plan view of the washing machine with some parts of the lid structure removed. Exploded perspective view of the hinge structure of the washing machine Exploded perspective view showing the lid attached to the top wall of the washing machine Partially cutaway vertical cross-sectional view of a conventional washing machine A partially cutaway cross-sectional view of the main parts of the washing machine A partially broken sectional view of the lid of the washing machine

Embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an external view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an external view of the washing machine with the lid closed, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the washing machine.

1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, the washing machine 100 includes a housing 200, a washing tub 300, a cover member 400, an operating section 500, a lid body 600, a hinge structure 700 (see FIG. 4), It mainly includes a water supply port 800.

The housing 200 includes a front wall 210, a rear wall 220, a left wall 230, a right wall 240, and a top wall 250.

Front wall 210 faces the user who uses washing machine 100, and rear wall 220 is erected on the opposite side of front wall 210. The left wall 230 is erected between the front wall 210 and the rear wall 220, and the right wall 240 is erected on the opposite side of the left wall 230. The ceiling wall 250 is surrounded by the upper edges of the front wall 210, the rear wall 220, the left wall 230, and the right wall 240.

The top wall 250 is disposed on the top of the housing 200 and includes a front edge 251, a rear edge 252, a left edge 253, and a right edge 254. The front edge 251 may be a corner line formed between the top wall 250 and the front wall 210. The rear edge 252 may be a corner line formed between the top wall 250 and the rear wall 220. The left edge 253 may be a corner line formed between the top wall 250 and the left wall 230. The right edge 254 may be a corner line formed between the top wall 250 and the right wall 240.

The washing tub 300 includes an outer tub 310 which is suspended from an upper corner of the casing 200 to receive water, and an inner tub which is rotatably contained in the outer tub 310 and accommodates laundry. 320, and the laundry put into the inner tub 320 is agitated and washed by a pulsator 330.

An input port 255 is formed in the top wall 250 substantially at the center, and clothes are loaded into the washing tub 300 through the input port 255 to be washed.

The lid 600 covers the input port 255 in an openable and closable manner, and rotates up and down on the top wall 250. A hinge structure 700 (see FIG. 4) rotatably supports this lid body 600.

The lid body 600 is composed of a left arm plate 610, a right arm plate 620, and a main plate 630 consisting of a front plate 631 and a rear plate 632, and each of the left arm plate 610 and the right arm plate 620 has a left hinge 710 inside. , a right hinge 720 is provided. The structure around the lid body 600 will be described in detail from FIG. 4 onwards.

The cover member 400 partially covers the top wall 250 between the input port 255 and the rear edge 252, and includes a rear region 410, a front region 420, a left region 430, and a right region 440. There is.

The water supply port 800 is exposed from an opening formed in the rear region 410, and a hose (not shown) attached to a faucet can be connected to the water supply port 800, so that water supplied to the water supply port 800 can be connected to the water supply port 800. Water is supplied to the washing tub 300 inside the housing 200.

Front region 420 cooperates with rear region 410 to form ridgeline 401 . The rear region 410 extends between the ridge line 401 and the rear edge 252 and is inclined downwardly by approximately 30 degrees from the ridge line 401 toward the rear edge 252. The front region 420 slopes downward from the ridgeline 401 toward the leading edge 251 , and is formed closer to the trailing edge 252 than the leading edge 251 .

The operation unit 500 is disposed on the cover member 400 and can be operated from the front side regardless of whether the lid body 600 is opened or closed. , and a display 520 that displays notifications when an abnormality occurs.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the lid structure of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a plan view with some parts of the lid structure of the washing machine removed, and FIG. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge structure of the washing machine, and FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing a lid attached to the top wall of the washing machine.

4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6, and FIG. 7, the hinge structure 700 is disposed below the operation unit 500 in a space formed by the top wall 250 and the cover member 400, and has a horizontal width of the lid body 600. It is provided in a U-shape as a whole and includes a left hinge 710, a right hinge 720, a damper case 730, and a shaft 750.

The hinge structure 700 is constructed by inserting the left and right shafts 750 into the bearings 740 of the left hinge 710 and the right hinge 720, respectively, and attaching the left spring component 760 and the right spring component 770 to the shafts 750. One end of the spring component 770 is attached to the left spring attachment hole 711 and the right spring attachment hole 721, and the other end is attached to the spring attachment holes 256 on the left and right sides of the ceiling wall 250.

Further, in the hinge structure 700, a damper structure 780 is attached to each of the two damper cases 730, and a shaft 781 of the damper structure 780 is fitted into a damper bearing 260 provided on the top wall 250.

Further, the damper structure 780 is covered by a hinge cover 640, and by removing the hinge cover 640, only the damper structure 780 can be removed and replaced.

The hinge structure 700 is arranged below the operation unit 500 in the space formed by the top wall 250 and the cover member 400, so that it is U-shaped from the left side to the right side of the top wall 250. It is possible to configure the lid body 600 in a shape, and maintains the strength to support the lid body 600.

The hinge structure 700 can be configured by the left spring part 760, the right spring part 770, and the damper case 730 by utilizing the space under the operation part 500, so that even when the lid body 600 is opened, It has a space that allows the user to operate the operation unit 500.

As described above, the washing machine according to the present embodiment includes the top wall 250 having the input port 255 that opens upward, the cover member 400 that partially covers the rear upper part of the top wall 250, and the operation details of the washing machine. It includes an operating section 500 that receives an operation request, a lid 600 that covers the input port 255 in an openable and closable manner, and a hinge structure 700 that rotatably supports the lid 600 on the top wall 250. The operating section 500 is attached to the cover member 400 so as to be exposed on the front or upper surface of the cover member 400, and the hinge structure 700 is provided across the rear width of the lid body 600 and is provided below the operating section 500. will be placed.

This makes it possible to support a heavy lid and facilitate opening and closing operations.

Further, as in the present embodiment, the hinge structure 700 includes a left hinge and a right hinge disposed on the side surface of the lid body 600, and in the longitudinal direction of the hinge structure 700, the left hinge 710, and the right hinge. 720 may be configured in a U-shape.

Thereby, the strength of the lid, which is a resin component, can be increased.

Further, as in the present embodiment, the lid body 600 has a spring structure that is provided on the left and right sides of the hinge structure 700 and provides an opening/closing force for the lid body 600, and the spring structure is connected to the shaft 750. , a left spring component 760 and a right spring component 770, the left spring component 760 and the right spring component 770 are respectively provided on the left and right axes of the hinge structure, and have one end connected to the left spring attachment hole 711 and the right spring attachment hole. 721, the other end may be fitted into the spring attachment holes 256 on the left and right sides of the ceiling wall 250.

Thereby, the spring structure can be easily attached, so that assembly efficiency is improved.

Further, as in the present embodiment, the lid 600 has a damper structure 780 that assists in the opening/closing operation of the lid 600, and a shaft 781 protruding from the damper structure 780 is connected to a damper bearing provided on the top wall 250. 260 may be fitted.

Thereby, the number of damper structures can be changed, so even if the specification of the elastic force of the spring structure is changed, it can be handled appropriately.

Further, as in the present embodiment, the hinge structure may be such that the left spring component 760, right spring component 770, and damper structure 780 can be replaced by removing the cover member.

Thereby, if a defect occurs in the damper structure, the damper structure can be easily replaced.

As described above, the washing machine according to the present invention can prevent the hinge portion of the lid from breaking and facilitate opening/closing operations, and thus can be applied to other electrical appliances having lids.

200 Housing 250 Top wall 255 Inlet 256 Spring mounting hole 260 Damper bearing 310 Outer tank 320 Inner tank 400 Cover member 500 Operation section 510 Button 520 Display 600 Lid 610 Left arm plate 620 Right arm plate 700 Hinge structure 710 Left hinge 720 Right hinge 730 Damper case 750 Axis 760 Left spring parts 770 Right spring parts 780 Damper structure 781 Shaft

Claims (4)

a ceiling wall having an input port opening upward;
a cover member that partially covers the rear upper part of the ceiling wall;
an operation unit that receives an operation request regarding the operation content of the washing machine;
A lid body that covers the input port so as to be freely openable and closable, and a hinge structure that rotatably supports the lid body on the ceiling wall,
The operation unit is attached to the cover member so as to be exposed on the front or upper surface of the cover member,
The lid body includes a main plate that covers the input port, and a left side plate and a right side plate that are provided on a side of the main plate and protrude rearward from the main plate,
The operation unit is located between the left side plate and the right side plate when the lid is closed,
The hinge structure is provided across the rear width of the lid body, is provided below the operating section, is a left hinge provided inside the left side panel, and is provided inside the right side panel. The right hinge, which is attached to the washing machine, forms a U-shape. The hinge structure is provided between the left side plate and the right side plate,
The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the left side plate and the right side plate cover a side of the cover member to which the operating section is attached. The left hinge and the right hinge have bearings into which shafts are inserted,
The lid body is provided on the left and right sides of the hinge structure, and has a spring structure that provides an opening/closing force for the lid body,
The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the spring structure includes the shafts provided on the left and right sides of the hinge structure, and a left spring component and a right spring component provided on the left and right shafts, respectively. The lid has a damper structure that assists in opening and closing operations of the lid,
The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the shaft protruding from the damper structure fits into a damper bearing provided on the top wall.

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